Saya’s Album of the Week: Between Skies by The Still Tide

A dreamy blend of ambient guitar riffs, swelling pads and a fearless expression of vulnerability, Anna Morsett’s authenticity shines best through her project The Still Tide. Her latest EP Between Skies is an introspective indie rock piece that takes us through her travels, both worldwide and in her life.

Mixed with perfection by Brian Joseph (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens), the steady drumbeats and beautiful arrangements of chorus guitar perfectly recreate the emptiness you might feel while you’re alone on a long drive, or stuck indoors on a rainy day. Filling the spaces in between, Morsett’s vocals are soothing yet powerful, and comforting to listen to in times of chaos. My personal favorite is “Memorized Lines”, a metaphor for the facade we easily play for others to blend in. Lyrics like “You rearrange your truth just to fit and make it more convenient“ and “where can your real life begin if you’re just pretending?” feel stingingly truthful, resonating with just about anybody. The phrasing of her lines and guitar strums are comparable to alternative rock band Paramore, especially with Morsett’s vocals–but more mellow and passive, not drawing much attention to itself.

Between Skies is an album that’s just there for you–whether you’re paying attention to the words or not, the music doesn’t need to do much talking for you to feel it. I’m excited to hear more from The Still Tide in years to come; Anna Morsett has lots more wisdom to share.